OK, you guys probably won't believe me, but here's my story...

In high school, girls pretty much ignored me: I was super shy and quiet, acne just crusted all over my face, and was really skinny (150lbs, 6'0). Just overall kind of an awkward, weird kid who preferred to be alone reading a book in the corner or listening to headphones than engage in conversation with anyone else. But around the summer before college, things started to change: I gained about 20 pounds, my acne cleared up entirely, and feeling more confident physically, I started being more talkative. I noticed, almost instantly, that women were treating me differently. The problem was, it took me a long time to not just be terrified after years of avoiding people.

For instance, I was getting my hair cut for college and the incredibly attractive hair dresser, probably about 25 years old or so, asked if I wanted to meet up with her and her friends later. We were talking about going to the same event that night, so my first thought was, "Oh she's just trying to be nice." Or on campus, when I was walking back to the dorm in the rain, a really pretty girl I didn't know came up to me and pulled me under her umbrella and said, "I'll walk you home." Super nice people everywhere! By the time I went to my first college party and another girl just randomly said to me, "You're way too hot to be a freshman" I started to figure it out. But I panicked and thanked her for the compliment before walking away. Later, another random girl came up to me in the cafeteria and said, in front of my friends, "Has anyone ever told you that you're extremely attractive?" Again, thanked her, actually said "Yes, a few people" and walked away. The knowledge that I was "attractive" did nothing for me, as it was all way too much, way too soon. I started to get a reputation as a guy who all the girls liked but "did nothing about it" and never acted on it. I was even propositioned for a threesome at one point (the girls were ok looking, but still) and turned it down because I was still a virgin and just overwhelmed by all this attention.

After a year or two, I met the girl who would later be my wife, really one of the most beautiful people I ever saw in my life. I never even would have even thought to have talked to her in high school. But 10 years later, we're happily married and expecting our first child. Still, I can't help but feel like I tricked her somehow.